Field
The present invention is directed to novel fluorescent or colored dyes and methods for their preparation and use in various analytical methods.
Description of the Related Art
Fluorescent and/or colored dyes are known to be particularly suitable for applications in which a highly sensitive detection reagent is desirable. Dyes that are able to preferentially label a specific ingredient or component in a sample enable the researcher to determine the presence, quantity and/or location of that specific ingredient or component. In addition, specific systems can be monitored with respect to their spatial and temporal distribution in diverse environments.
Fluorescence and colorimetric methods are extremely widespread in chemistry and biology. These methods give useful information on the presence, structure, distance, orientation, complexation and/or location for biomolecules. In addition, time-resolved methods are increasingly used in measurements of dynamics and kinetics. As a result, many strategies for fluorescence or color labeling of biomolecules, such as nucleic acids and protein, have been developed.
Perylenes and related dyes have high photochemical persistency (chemical, thermal, and photochemical stability) and high fluorescence quanta yield and are used in a variety of reprographic processes, solar cells, photovoltaic devices, and dye lasers. However, perylene derivatives have been used primarily as pigments and fluorescent dyes. Perylene dyes of various colors and light-absorbing properties have been reported. For example, Becker S. et al, Chem. Eur. J., 6,213,984, (2000), report the synthesis of thermotropic perylenedicarboximide chromophores that show a color change from blue to orange. Perylene and related chromophores have seen limited use as biomolecular probes, apparently due to the strongly hydrophobic character of these types of molecules and difficulties with regiospecific labeling of biomolecules with the same.
There is thus a need in the art for water soluble dyes and biomarkers that permit visual or fluorescent detection of biomolecules without prior illumination or chemical or enzymatic activation. Ideally, such dyes and biomarkers should be intensely colored or fluorescent and should be available in a variety of colors and fluorescent wavelengths. The present invention fulfills this need and provides further related advantages.